MEREDITH RODRIGUEZ
News Assistant
Something Corporate lead singer,
Andrew McMahan, stirs his audience.
Photo Courtesy Ryan Birch
Something Corporate did not leave its 1,450 member audience —Pepperdine or non — disappointed at Friday night’s Spring Concert, despite reservations over Student Programming Board’s band of choice, as well as controversy over most tickets being sold to the general public.
“It was cool to be on campus, around so many people not from our school,” said graduate student Ryan Bien. “Something Corporate definitely had a loyal-fan base.”
A red moon hanging over the Pacific, In-N-Out and an elaborate stage greeted a shivering audience in the evening, some of whom had traveled seven hours, arriving at Alumni Park before noon, only to wait another seven hours for the show to start. This represents only a sample size of the devoted fan base the Orange County quintet has obtained in recent years through nearly non-stop touring across the nation, most recently at Gonzaga University one month ago.
“This is the first time we’ve played in a long time,” said Something Corporate lead singer Andrew McMahon before the show. “I’m excited.”
Melee is one of three opening bands
Photo Courtesy Luke Simpson
Of the 1,500 tickets available, 650 were sold to students, and 50 were left unsold.
Though the band often sings at faith-based universities, “This is the first time that I’ve ever been warned specifically not to swear,” McMahon added, expressing doubt that he could satisfy such wishes.
The band refrained from characteristic vulgarity however, and only occasional indiscretions peppered Friday’s performance, starting with Pepperdine-based blues-rock band, the Sindicate.
Following the Sindicate, Roundabout and Melee, successfully limbered a skeptical crowd with alternative punk-rock.
The mixed crowd needed no convincing, however, as soon as Something Corporate stepped onto stage. Screaming girls greeted the band, whose sound has been described by MTV as “safe and sentimental melodic pop-rock.”
“I love their piano rock,” junior Celeste Elmore said. “It makes them unique.”
Elmore is by no means alone in her sentiments.
“I love the piano,” said Lanien Wahlman, 19, who traveled to watch the band for the seventh time. “They are all-around great musicians.”
Something Corporate’s warm welcome, as compared to a significantly milder one on this same campus only four years ago, points to the growth the group has experienced in the past five years.
“We’ve changed exponentially for the better since the last time we were here,” said laid-back drummer Brian Ireland. “We have become a lot more professional of a band. You definitely would want to see us now and not then.”
Lead singer McMahon gave his budding performance philosophy.
“It’s about being involved with the crowd,” he said. “You have to figure out what works with them and gets them pumped.”
And pump the crowd, he did. Smoke, flamboyant lights and a piano placed at center-stage aided Something Corporate’s production.
“They sound incredible live,” said sophomore Betsy Spina, who had not heard them until Friday. “They also really played to the audience.”
Opening with songs such as, “21 and Invincible” which concluded with the line, “I can’t wait to f— it up”, McMahon often played piano with one hand, lifting the other to join his fans’ own raised hands.
In a plea for emotion, he occasionally abandoned his piano in order to sing leaning into the first row of swooning females. McMahon even jumped on top of keys, inducing roaring applause as he played a tuneful racquet with his feet.
As energy rose, more than a dozen non-Pepperdine crowd-surfers rolled past a barrier in front of the stage.
“The crowd was calmer than usual,” said Elmore, who has been to four previous Something Corporate concerts. “There are usually more crowd-surfers.”
Rowdy songs led into calmer songs, such as, “She paints me blue,” a ballad with a sentimental message enhanced by blue lights strategically reflecting from stage smoke.
“How we doin’ Pepperdine?” asked McMahon of an ironically mostly non-Pepperdine crowd. “It’s amazing playing in such a beautiful environment,” he added.
The performance climaxed at the end with, “If U C Jordan,” a song about a high-school bully. The crowd dutifully shook their fists in harmonized motions during the catchy hook.
Most sang along to every song, including one of their favorites, “Konstantine”.
“It’s about a high-school relationship — a girl I dated for much longer than I should have,” McMahon said of Konstantine before the performance. “It’s worth a 10 minute song.”
After more than an hour of introspective lyrics, the show ended with an old favorite, “Hurricane,” whose piano interludes invoked predictable cheers.
“It was a cool show, great crowd,” said bassist Clutch. “But it was weird tonight.”
Guitarrist William Tell said outdoor shows are complicated. “We still had a great time though,” he said.
Guitarrist Josh Partington, who writes songs with McMahon, is the fifth member.
Pepperdine students enjoyed the show as well.
“I listened to them in high school,” said junior Taylor Zeinert. “I like that they still played all their old songs because I knew most of them.”
Zeinert was especially impressed by the band members. All five interacted with fans for at least 20 minutes after the undoubtedly exhausting performance.
Spina was likewise impressed by them.
“They treated us like we were on the same level as them,” she said.
03-31-2005
